| IFA President John Bryan has warned that the Green Party’s policy on climate change will derail our economic recovery by imposing unrealistic restrictions that will destroy the potential of the agri-food sector to deliver exports and jobs. He said, “if the Greens are allowed to persist with their misguided agenda, then the €4bn growth potential in exports set out in the Government’s own Food Harvest 2020 strategy for the sector will not be achieved. With an election due in the next two months, the proposed legislation should be abandoned.” John Bryan said, “the Green Party’s refusal to accept the damaging implications of their policy for Ireland is dishonest. Food production in this country, which is carried out on a sustainable basis, would be replaced by countries from South America, which have a very poor record on the environment.” He said, “At a time when the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation is warning about food production in the context of rising global demand, the immediate challenge is how to feed the world’s population, sustainably and cost effectively, when resources such as water are becoming the real limiting factor. Ireland is uniquely positioned with our plentiful supply of water and a low-carbon model of meat and milk production. Jeopardising this opportunity for Ireland is madness.” Concluding, the IFA President said, “this week’s export figures underline the important role that agri-food will play in driving our economic recovery. The Greens must not be allowed hijack the sector’s future with ill-timed and rushed legislation.” |
Saturday, 08 January 2011 11:12